Today I wanted to clear up one of the biggest misconceptions in publishing. Not all published novels make it into bookstores. I know this thought may seem strange at first, after all, isn’t that the reason you publish a book in the first place?
Think about it though. Can you imagine how big a Barnes & Noble would have to be to house every single book ever written by anyone? Costco sized at least. I don’t know why I never thought of this when I set out to publish a book, but it makes sense. Barnes & Noble is selective with which books are chosen to sit on their shelves. Just because your book is in print and available to order through Barnesandnoble.com doesn’t mean they’ll choose it to be in their stores.
Of course there are some guarantees. If you’re published by the big six in New York, you can pretty much bet your book will have a home in Barnes & Noble, but what about the rest of us? If you’re published by a mid-sized house, a small press, self-published, etc. there is a lot more competition for that left over space on the shelves.
One of the first things people said after Oppression was published was, “Oh I can’t wait to go get it at Barnes & Noble!”
I’d have to explain that there was no guarantee it would be there. Of course people would be able to order it to the store if they wanted, but in terms of walking in and seeing it already displayed, that was something I couldn’t promise.
After discovering how things worked, I wasn’t really expecting to see Oppression in stores, but a month after its release, I walked into a local B&N and there it was, staring back at me. It had fought its way there and squeezed its beautiful book body between two others, amongst the big names in YA. Not just one, but five copies sat proudly on the second level facing out for the world to see.
It was a great feeling to know that Oppression made the cut, at least for that store (and four others here in San Diego).
Thanks Barnes & Noble, and thanks to everyone who has supported me and spread the word about my book! It’s because of you that it has been so successful J
YAY! I'm so excited to start posting The Buzz again! I've missed my Monday posts. They're always my favorite. Okay, so today I wanted to feature three books written by some of my author friends. Their books have been all over the internet lately, so I'm sure you've already heard of them, but if you haven't, then I'm glad you stopped by!
The first is CassaFire (Sequel to CassaStar) by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Alex just took his book on tour all over the blogosphere. It was a very awesome and successful blog tour that I'm sure you all participated in or read about.
Here's a little more about the book...
CassaStar was only the beginning…
The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.
The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren's civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan's technology and strange mental abilities.
To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves, the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…
Second is Midnight at Moonglow's by K.C. Sherwood. If you haven't heard of this book you should definitely check it out. I know "K" personally, and she is such a sweetie. Her book recently won honorable mention at the LA Book Fest. YAY "K"!!
Life has always been a little lonely for twelve-year-old Casey Parker, an obsessive reader who makes up for her lack of friends with her books. The only attention she gets in school is unwanted, given a bit too enthusiastically by the school bully. But, when Casey 's great uncle Walter moves back to town and takes over a mysterious little bookshop called Moonglow s, things begin to get interesting.
He gives her an old iron key and tells her to come back to read at night when the moonlight is shining in, because something truly magical happens. But there are three rules she must follow: the books must remain in the shop at night, she must keep the key with her at all times, and, above all, she must be out by midnight.
She discovers that she can physically enter the story of any book she reads. But, if she 's not out by midnight, or if she forgets her key, she will be trapped inside the book forever. Casey spends the summer between grammar school and junior high leaping into different stories and learning about herself in the process. As the first day of junior high approaches, Casey knows she will have to face the bully again; disappearing into her favorite novel forever is beginning to sound like a great idea.
Last but not least is Visions (The Holly Nather Trilogy, #1) by Sara Daniell. The Holly Nather Trilogy Blog Tour is going on right now, so make sure you stop by Sara's blog to take part in all the fun :)
"Every guy I seem to date ends up resembling the reeking material that janitors and plumbers both deal with on a daily basis. You get my metaphor. In summary, it is safe to say that my dating life really, really sucks." -- Holly
It is Holly's first year in college and the most exciting thing in her life is her classes. She doesn't have any luck with dating and doesn't have many friends.
Her life is terribly boring until she receives a text message from a unknown person. Life as Holly knows it will forever change by responding to that one single text. She isn't too thrilled but will soon find herself falling in love with a complete stranger from another world.
I normally don't post on Saturdays, but I just HAD to show you guys! I went out to see the Hunger Games movie (so awesome by the way) and stopped by Barnes and Noble to kill some time. I tend to gravitate toward the YA section, obviously... Well, lookie what I stumbled across. I know you're all probably thinking, well hello...what do you think happens when you get your book published? BUT it's more complicated than that. I'll go into more detail on Wednesday (going to post about books & Barnes & Noble). It is the WEIRDEST thing seeing my book on the shelves where I go to peruse the latest and greatest...what a thrill. I'm floating. Someone better pull me down...I'm like Mary Poppins up here :)
The blog tour was fabulous, but I guess it's time to get back to my regular blog schedule. After all that craziness, I need a fun Friday anyway...
For those who don't know, I got married on July 4, 2011. I've since been hording the official wedding pics. I'm not sure why, just busy I guess. There are WAY too many to post, so I'm just going to share the fun ones from the Zany Photo Booth (photography by Jillian Bisinger). Enjoy!!
Hi! Welcome to my blog!
I’m the author of the YA paranormal series, CHILDREN OF THE GODS & a new YA Contemporary fiction called CARRY ME HOME.
I have a newborn baby girl and two boys (ages 4 & 6) which has done wonders for my sound effect skills. I'm now an expert at missile launching & explosion noises...Also, I'm pretty decent at wielding a lightsaber and building lego ships. So be prepared for some kid blogging in between the book updates. My days are spent taking care of munchkins, writing, and running Acorn Publishing, most likely in my pajamas.
Email me at therrien.jessica@gmail.com
Or visit my websites
www.JessicaTherrienBooks.com
www.AcornPublishingLLC.com
Of course there are some guarantees. If you’re published by the big six in New York, you can pretty much bet your book will have a home in Barnes & Noble, but what about the rest of us? If you’re published by a mid-sized house, a small press, self-published, etc. there is a lot more competition for that left over space on the shelves. 
